Page 22 of Hellhounds Never Lie

“I want them charged,” I said.

“Of course.” Van looked affronted at the implication they wouldn’t be charged. “If we don’t find the other wolf in town, I’m going to the pack lands. If he’s there, I’ll find him.”

“Ifhe is?” I swallowed and looked at Dillon. “Do you think Rob guy would turn him out?” I couldn’t call him Robbie anymore, even if that was what everyone else in Willow Lake called him. Robbie sounded like the name of a cute and innocent little kid and that guy was anything but cute or innocent.

He rubbed his chin. “Yeah. Probably. It’ll give him the opportunity to deny he knew anything about the attack.”

“So this guy’s our only hope of tying this to Rob?” I gestured toward the still unconscious wolf in my bedroom.

We all looked at the wolf in question. Hopefully he’d wake soon. I was ready for this to be over.

“Do we need to stay somewhere else tonight?” Dillon asked.

Van shook his head. “I’ll leave someone outside, but I don’t think they’ll be back.” Then he looked at me. “You should put some extra security on your door tomorrow.”

Extra security. I shivered. I’d only just gotten to the point where I didn’t move furniture in front of my door every night. Now these bastards had destroyed all that progress in one night.

More sparks burst from my fingertips.

If I still lived with my coven, they probably would have been here already to help ward the place. But I didn’t live with them anymore. They’d been amazing during my recovery, but when I’d moved to Willow Lake, I’d needed my independence and I hadn’t kept in touch with them like I probably should have. It’d taken a long time to accept that what had happened with my ex was an isolated incident, but once I had, I’d needed space.

Although perhaps not too much space. After all, I lived in an apartment complex for a reason.

Living in an apartment was what had saved me before and I wasn’t a complete idiot. I took precautions. I led a cautious life. Well, until I invited a stranger to my house on an impulse. And now look what happened. If I told my mom about this attack and asked for the coven’s help, she wouldn’t show up with anyone from the coven. Nope, she’d be outside my apartment in two hours with a U-Haul and a stack of packing boxes.

So I guess that meant I was going to the hardware store instead. Maybe one of those swing bar door guards like hotel rooms had would work. But let’s face it, if a pack of wolves wanted in, there wasn’t much I could do to stop them.

“Yeah, okay,” I said.

By the time Van and his people left, I was crashing. The adrenaline that’d flooded my system during the attack was long gone. I’d eaten all the sugary things Van had handed me. I’d allowed Dillon to wrap me in two thick blankets and cuddle with me on the couch. But now I was done.

I stood at the threshold of my bedroom and stared at the mess. It wasn’t as bad as I’d expected. The mattress and box spring were still flopped over, leaning against the far wall of the room where Dillon had tossed them after the attack. And the cat figurine Paws had given me for my last birthday was on its side on top of my dresser. I was surprised it hadn’t broken since the wolf had fallen against it when Dillon bit him.

I swallowed and edged into the room.

I expected to find a large blood stain on the floor. Dillon had bitten him, after all. But there wasn’t one. So where had the blood gone? My stomach turned as I realized Dillon must have swallowed it down. No wonder I’d smelled toothpaste on him when he’d returned from the bathroom earlier.

“Let’s get this sorted,” Dillon said softly from behind me.

I nodded and shuffled to the dresser first. I righted the figurine while Dillon moved the mattress and box spring back into place. The sheets, pillows and blankets were a jumbled tangle on the floor. It only took ten minutes to make the bed. It would have been faster, but I’d spent most of that time fingering the jagged edge of the brand-new knife holes in my bedding and mattress.

“That…” I swallowed. “That was meant for you.”

“But they didn’t get me or you.”

I nodded, but I couldn’t stop old familiar fears from skating over me. I ducked down to look under the bed, even though mere minutes ago I’d seen exactly what was under there. Of course, nothing was hiding there except dust bunnies and a wayward sock. Still, I needed to see. To check.

Dillon didn’t say anything.

Then I moved to the closet. I opened the sliding doors one way, then the other. I pushed my clothes around, checking both corners. I looked under them. Nothing was there. My brain knew I wouldn’t find anything there, but I’d needed to look.

Dillon followed when I returned to the living room.

I checked under and behind every piece of furniture and curtain. I even looked inside the kitchen cupboards.

Of course, nothing was there either.

Then I confirmed the deadbolt was engaged. Maybe if I’d used it instead of just the one on my doorknob it would have delayed the wolves, but I doubted it. Three times I pulled on the doorhandle to make sure it wouldn’t give. Then Dillon helped me slide my living room chair in front of the door. Given how it filled up the narrow hallway, I doubted anyone would be able to get in very easily with that in place. Then, when we returned to the bedroom, we moved the dresser in front of that door.